SAGITTARIUS - MY WORLD FELL DOWN, MAY 1967

'WISH I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE WINTER'

THE PEPPERMINT TROLLEY COMPANY, 1968

THE FREEBORNE - PEAK IMPRESSIONS, 1968

Greatness of Youth.  I can quote myself saying that this album “is one of the greatest pieces of psychedelic bullshit ever put down” which is true on the surface, but it is so much more than that.  This LP exists as a time capsule of the creativity and human expression that occurred when you put a talented group of teenagers (on LSD) in a studio and let them go nuts.  I don’t want this blog to be a review site so I won’t go too far into it, but I can’t help but gawk a little about one of my favorite records of all time.

Take 'Hurtin’ Kind of Woman' for example.  I love that song!  On the surface it can come off as a generic ‘bluesy Doors rip off’ but in reality it’s got just as much soul as 'Soul Kitchen'.  It’s got the perfect build and the perfect bass riff.  In between the killer 'Yellow Skies' and 'Inside People' on side two it makes for one hell of a sandwich.  After that you get the mystical dessert 'A New Song For Orestes'.  I'll admit I have a soft spot for spoken word passages.  My copy here is a reissued replica which can be found pretty cheaply.  It's got a nice laminated sleeve and sounds great.  A nice alternative to the original which is seldom seen and can go for a few hundred dollars.   FOREVER DRIFTING...

Read a nice interview with original band members Bob Margolin and Dave Codd HERE

From Billboard Magazine May 11, 1968

CINAMMON EMPIRE - IT'S GOOD, IT'S GOOD / GOLDEN KITE, 1969

Here's one I picked up recently based on the name alone.  How could I pass up something by the name of Cinammon Empire?  Information regarding this record appears to be pretty limited.  All I can come up with is that they were from Indianapolis and got some local radio play in early 1969.  What I can tell you from listening is that they were obviously going for the harmony pop sound The Association was making in the late 60's, and they do a pretty good job of replicating that sound.  In fact the lead vocalist sounds uncannily like Jim Yester.

I'm imagining hearing the warming sound of 'It's Good, It's Good' on the radio as the frozen car starts up in the midst of a miserable Midwestern winter...

THE TURTLES - IT AIN'T ME BABE / ALMOST THERE, JULY 1965

PLAY THIS ONE LOUD AND PROUD!  The Turtles debut 45 is a truly excellent pair of heavy hitters featuring that timeless garage/folk rock sound of 1965.  This may come a bit surprising if you are only familiar with their sunshine pop smash 'Happy Together' which would knock 'Penny Lane' out of the top spot for a few weeks in early 1967.  I'll get to that soon enough...

THE MASTERS APPRENTICES - UNDECIDED / WARS OR HANDS OF TIME, 1966 (UGLY POP reissue)

Man, what a fucking record this is, was and always shall be.  The blistering 'Wars Or Hands Of Time' is one of my all-time favorites and can nearly put me to tears with its heartfelt lyrics about going off to war.  This reissue from Ugly Pop records sounds phenomenal. 

"wars or hands of time will not destroy our dreams of days that are to come, 
our tears were shared with understanding don't be sad,  
I'll catch the wind on home to you."

THE BYRDS - YOUNGER THAN YESTERDAY, FEBRUARY 1967

I recently rescued this copy of the critical BYRDS album Younger Than Yesterday from one of the local scrap bins, reason being it's the MONO version which I had never heard in its entirety.  With a little cleaning up it sounds pretty remarkable considering the vinyl looks like it was stored in between two pieces of fine grit sandpaper.  Currently it finds itself glued to my turntable.

THE PAUPERS - MAGIC PEOPLE, 1967

"THE MOST IMPORTANT FACT ABOUT THEM IS THAT THEY ARE HERE."

THE BEE GEES - 1ST, JULY 1967

It's damn near impossible to pick a favorite track on this album, SO I WON'T.  Every single one of them is excellent.  All fourteen of them.

THE ROLLING STONES - THEIR SATANIC MAJESTIES REQUEST, DECEMBER 1967